Palestinian Christians’ exchange with Minster Community
Proposal for an exchange visit between parishioners of St. Mary the Virgin, Southwell (Southwell Minster) and parishioners of the Cathedral Church of St. George the Martyr, Jerusalem and St. Paul’s, Shafar’am in the Galilee.
Canon Hosam Naoum
For the last nine years the Minster has had developing links with fellow Christians in the Holy Land. In April of this year Canon Hosam Naoum from St. George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem suggested that it would be a good idea if an informal exchange could take place between Palestinian Christians in Jerusalem and Galilee and members of the Minster Community. At their October (2007) meeting Chapter agreed to a proposal for an exchange visit. The exchange visit offers an opportunity for Palestinian Christians to share in our lives and worship and know that they are loved and supported in the Anglican Communion. On the other hand a return visit offers us the opportunity to learn and understand about the Israeli/Palestinian situation at first hand, share in the life and worship of Palestinian Christians and spend time living in a different culture from our own. This is one way that we as a cathedral community can support those who keep the faith alive under difficult circumstances in the land where it all began and to whom we are indebted.
It is important to place this proposal for an informal exchange visit in the context of events in the last ten years. In 1998 the then Provost, David Leaning, led a pilgrimage to the Holy Land for members of the Minster Community in preparation for the Millennium. The Minster’s first link with Canon Hosam Naoum was around 2001 when he came to stay with the late Canon Fred Green and Dean David. Money was raised for St.Luke’s Hospital, Nablus where Canon Hosam was then the Chaplain. St. Luke’s Hospital continues to be part of the Minster’s annual giving programme.
As a result of the Second Intifada relations between Canon Hosam and members of the Minster Community and the Dean were confined to telephone calls and e-mails. During this time Canon Hosam became a Residentiary Canon at St. George’s Cathedral with responsibility for the Arab speaking congregation and was made Acting Dean. In 2006 Canon Hosam accepted an invitation to Dean David’s retirement Eucharist, his air fare being paid for by Chapter. It was at this time that Canon Hosam spoke in Dunham House about the situation of Palestinian Christians and many of us were impressed by his wisdom, humour and lack of bitterness about the situation. The Palestinian Church is feeling very beleaguered and is concerned about its own well being. Christians (all denominations) are now only 2% of the total population in Israel and Anglicans are only a tiny percentage of the 2%. These Christians are the living stones who stay and ‘ring the bells’, maintain the faith, without whom there would be no Holy Land. As such they are very vulnerable and in need of our support. Since 1947 vast numbers have been driven out and there is a continuous trickle still of those leaving. Canon Hosam preached in the Minster and met with the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham.
St. George’s Cathedral following the Installation of the new Bishop of Jerusalem
In April 2007 Angela and David Lane accepted an invitation to attend the Installation of Rt.. Revd Suheil Salman Dawini as the Fourteenth Anglican Bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem. It was out of conversations at that time with Canon Hosam that he requested an exploration of the possibility of an informal exchange between the Palestinian parishioners at the Cathedral and in Canon Hosam’s home town in Shefar’am in the Galilee. Thus the request for an exchange comes out of a developing relationship over the last six years and, as such, it is a natural progression.
The fruits of the proposed exchange are immeasurable both for us and the Palestinian Christians as we would be learning together in faith. Recognition should be given to the fact that Canon Hosam felt able to make this particular request and that he wishes his fellow Palestinian Christians to experience, at first hand, the support that we as an established Christian Community could offer.
A statement from Fr.Fuad S. Dagher
Rector of St. Paul’s Anglican Episcopal Church, Shafar’am in the Galilee.
St. Paul’s Anglican Episcopal Church was dedicated in 1873 to serve the Anglican community in the City of Shefa-Amr which has a population of 40,000 of Muslims, Christians and Druze communities living in perfect harmony side by side with each other. Shefa-Amr is in the northern part of the country and sits between Nazareth and Haifa, two of the major cities in Israel.
Interior of St. Paul’s
Our Church has 210 members, the majority of whom are young with, and lots of activities:
The Sunday School and Children’s ministry has 40 to 50 kids who meet once during the week as well as on Sundays for their spiritual program and activities. The Youth ministry is very strong with 35 to 40 young people of different ages meeting once a week for their Bible study and social activities. Youth plays a very important role in the life of the church: we see in them the present as well as the future of the church.
The Women’s fellowship group meets once a week for their Bible study and program. This group of 30 women 30 is a big support for the Church’s ministry and work.
Our church in Shefa-Amr has 25 to 30 young couples who meet every other week to discus issues which are of concern for their marital life and its challenges as well as their spiritual growth.
Music ministry and the Choir is unique to the diocese of Jerusalem and this group, comprising young and old, leads the worship of our Church as well performing on special occasions by giving recitals for the congregation and the whole community.
Exterior St Paul’s
We witness in Shefa-Amre to a very strong ecumenical movement and we are proud to say that St. Paul’s is one of it’s pioneers. We held in our church ecumenical services during the Liturgical Year and these services found favour with so many people from the Roman Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church as well as the Greek Malakite Catholic Church in Shefa-Amre. We identify ourselves as Arab Palestinian Israeli Christian Anglican and we trace back our history as Arab Christians to the very first Pentecost which did take place in the Holy City of Jerusalem, the Mother City of Our Faith.
We, at St. Paul’s, believe so strongly in the ministry of reconciliation and the making of peace between all of God’s people following the commandment of our Lord “Blessed are the peace makers for they will be called the children of God” and only the Children of the God of Peace can make Peace.
Last, but not least, we pray God’s blessings on our ministry here at St. Paul’s so that we might fulfil His call to each and every one of us.
A statement from the Rev’d Canon Hosam Naoum
Acting Dean of St. George’s Cathedral, Jerusalem
Greetings of peace and love from the Land of the Holy One
Our relationship with the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham goes back many years and I have had the honour of visiting the diocese several times and building relationships with many of our friends.
A year ago, David Lane and I discussed how we could empower and strengthen our partnership. An exchange visit was a dream and now it is incarnated into a real project that would indeed give a great impact on both the Diocese of Jerusalem and the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham and other friends in the UK.
I am delighted that my home parish of St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Shefar’am is also involved and Fr. Fuad Dagher, who is a very close friend and brother in Christ, is also willing to share in this project. Therefore, we have agreed to represent both St. Paul’s Church and St. George’s Cathedral in this exchange so that other parishes within the Diocese could share their experiences with the Sister Church in the UK.
St. George’s Cathedral is the Mother Church of the Diocese of Jerusalem and it is located obviously in Jerusalem the Mother City of our Faith. At the Cathedral there are two parishes; the Palestinian Christian Anglicans who count about 53 families, and the English speaking congregation which keeps changing all the time due to different circumstances.
Our ministry is a vital one here in Jerusalem, since we act not only as a Church but also as a Chaplaincy to all Anglicans and other Pilgrims who come here to share the life and ministry of the local Church.
The Cathedral, in addition to the daily services, is involved in many and various activities in the community; for example in Ecumenical, interfaith, social and many other issues which concern the life of the Jerusalemite communities.
On a local level we run all sorts of other church activities; such as bible study, Sunday school and confirmation classes. Within the jurisdiction of the parish we have other institutions which the Diocese is fully or partially involved in; such as St. George’s College, St. George’s School, St.George’s Guest House, the YMCA, and Princess Basma Centre.
It will be very important for our people to come and share your life and faith, and your ministry at large, as much as it is important for your people to come over here and share ours. The exchange visit will be unlike any other pilgrimage. It will have a different taste since you'll be exploring and experiencing the living story of the bible at this end, meaning here the “Living Stones” of the Holy Land. I am sure that this will have a great impact on both groups, since our relationship will go beyond individuals into communities.
May God guide us always to his love, so that his glory may shine to the ends of the earth. With Love and Prayers.
A statement from the Dean of Southwell
The Very Reverend John Guille.
Southwell Minster and the land of the Holy One
Southwell Minster is situated in the small town of Southwell, which has a population of 6000 people. As the Cathedral Church of Nottinghamshire it seeks to serve diverse communities in this part of England, from farms in the rural areas to the city of Nottingham with its industry, universities and hospitals. This wonderful building is 900 years old, and still brings visitors and pilgrims to their knees in wonder and awe to glimpse the glory of God.
The Minster Community Vision
The Minster Community seeks to celebrate God’s life, love and beauty in the Cathedral at the heart of the diocese. Our hope is in God, the source of all community, and our purpose is the service of His Kingdom in the name of Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Minster ‘Community Charter for Action’ enables the realization of the Vision. It includes a commitment to:
- Personal spiritual growth through prayer, worship and teaching
- Outreach and mission, both here and overseas
- Supporting one another
- God’s Ministry confidently shared between clergy and congregation
- Recognising that the gifts God has given to each are for the benefit of all
Our life together as a parish
In 2007 we welcomed a new Dean, the Very Revd. John Guille, and he joins Canons Nigel Coates and Jacqui Jones as Minster clergy. 250 – 300 people attend services each Sunday, and there are 3 or 4 services each day of the week. Many of us are older people, but there is a Sunday School that meets each week with children from 5 – 15 years old. We have a traditional choir of men and boys and a girls’ choir; between them, they sing at 7 services each week. Much of our learning together is done in house groups; in recent months 80 people have been in groups which have studied the relationship between Christianity and Islam, so we can understand Muslims living in our country. There is a branch of the Mothers’ Union. 2008 is our 900th anniversary, and we will celebrate with services for the homeless, the National Health Service, local church schools, the hospice movement, scouts, and Remembrance Day when we remember the cost of war.
Our relationship with other denominations in Southwell
The seven churches in the town – including the Minster – belong to Churches Together in Southwell; this consists of Anglicans, Methodists, Roman Catholics, Baptists, and two independent evangelical congregations. The World Development committee is particularly strong in campaigning for fair trade and for the needs of the poor throughout the world.
Our place in the Diocese
Because we are a Cathedral, we host many events and services for the whole Diocese. For example, 9000 children from local schools visit us each year for full-day programmes of learning about the building and about the Christian faith. This year we will welcome bishops from round the world for a few days before the Lambeth Conference at a World Church Evensong. Confirmations and Ordinations happen here. We will host a diocesan day of teaching about prayer and spirituality. The Diocese’s ‘Seed Scattering’ programme of evangelism was launched in the Minster.
Our place in the World Church
We are privileged to have links with the Anglican Church in many countries, and many members of the congregation have visited the Church in different places. For example, in November 2007 one of our members was in the team of nine people from the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham that spent 2½ weeks in our companion Diocese of Natal in South Africa. We are also in contact with Christians in South America, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Korea, Madagascar, etc.
We have greatly valued our contact with our sister Church in the Land of the Holy One, and the visits of Father Hosam Naoum. David and Angela Lane keep us up to date, and we hope that the shared exchange planned for 2008 or 2009 will enrich the friendship. Our two countries are very different and our churches are very different, but we very much look forward to sharing stories of faith – faith in the same Christ.
Fund raising events to meet the travelling expenses of the Palestinian Christians to Southwell Minster later this year.
A selling exhibition of art, ceramics and sculptures held in December 2007 raised £4,100.
Events due to take place
- 15 March 2008
- Southwell Choral Society Reflections on the Passion
7.30 pm Southwell Minster
(Proceeds after necessary expenses) - 23 March 2008
- Full English Breakfast after the 6.00 am Dawn Service
Trebeck Hall (Places strictly limited – sign up on the Community Notice Board in the Minster)
(Donations invited)
Miriam Duffy
- 13 April 2008
- Miriam Duffy (right) running the London Marathon Sponsor forms from e-mail:
- 10 May 2008
- Brian and Betty Hiscoe ten year painting anniversary and selling exhibition. 10.00 am – 4.00 pm 4 Humberstone Road, Southwell.
- 14 June 2008
- Evening Garden Party – Strawberries and Prosecco, live music and beautiful garden. From 6.00 pm Ashdene, Radley Road, Halam.
(By kind permission of Mr and Mrs D. Herbert)
(Donations invited)
